Present-day urban rites and rituals in case of personal failure
Present-day urban rites and rituals in case of personal failure

Summary/Abstract: Personal failure is part of the life of every man, even the so-called “lucky ones”. But at a certain point even they are struck by some disease, hardship or misfortune, which they perceive to be a personal failure for them. If those considering themselves to be misfits, as well as those who always find everything “a difficult lot” are also included, all this outlines the scope of the subject of research of this paper. It dwells on some old ritual practices and new ritual forms, to which people of today resort in cases of chronical or severe illnesses, infertility, the undesired absence of a marital consort, joblessness or some experienced hardship – an accident, bad luck, misfortune or other obstacle. There are news about such cases in the periodical press, the electronic media and modern literature, and therefore these beneficial field research objects for ethnologists are the sacrificial centers, where using the methods of conversation and inclusive observation, fruitful field research could be carried out...

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